


Chai

by Nasyat



Series: Tea Ceremony [1]
Category: Cuphead (Video Game)
Genre: Dice Invented a New Kink, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Rare Pairings, Redeemed King Dice, Sexual Tension, Spotted Kettle, Symbolism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-02-11
Packaged: 2019-03-16 07:23:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13631463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nasyat/pseuds/Nasyat
Summary: Tumblr prompts for Spotted Kettle. Warmth and homelinessThe first ficlet is G, the other is probably a slight M.





	1. Spring, Tea, and Butter-cups

**Author's Note:**

> "Okay for spotted kettle how about buttercups, tea, and spring?" @itsbpdprincess (in response to my post about asking for word prompts)

The sun glowed hot, but the gentle spring breeze carried life-giving coolness that the Ink Isle inhabitants were so thankful for; it was well into May, and King Dice was digging in the flower-beds. An old shirt, that he rolled at the sleeves, clung to his back in a wet spot due to earnest work and midday heat. Elder Kettle reclined in his rocking chair in the shade of a tree, while the kids romped at the little grass patch nearby.

Suddenly, Dice set down the scoop and the gardening scissors, and leaned over to inspect something. He soon turned to the old kettle, holding a buttercup flower between his index and thumb. “Look at this water rascal, sneaking into my herbs!” The man raised his hand and squinted at the offending plant. “I know you are poisonous, you silly weed,” he said, disapprovingly. Elder Kettle let out a hearty chuckle and a puff of steam.

“It is not dangerous when dried out, dear. Say, why do you insist on brewing tea in me? I am not a teapot, you know.” Dice colored up at that, and muttered, embarrassedly, “…I know, I jus’… enjoy the smell… it’s really…” He managed to compose himself and turned his angry abashment towards the tiny flower, changing topic. “It’s just a useless weed anyway, doesn’t deserve to-“

“Oh, a buttercup!” Cuphead snatched the little stem out of Dice’s fingers. “Check this out, Mugs!” He held the lustrous flower up to man’s chin, who now looked even more bewildered. Then, solemnly, the boy said, “Do you like butter, Mr. Dice?”

The bright-yellow petals were reflecting light onto the porcelain surface. “…He does,” whispered Mugman. The boys exchanged meaningful looks, and Dice started clapping his eyes at them. Cuphead continued.

“Do you like cheese?”  
The older man frowned, “You can’t be expecting a different answer if you didn’t-“ but the prankster interrupted him shamelessly.

“Do you like sitting on-“ The boys burst into giggles, “…Elder Kettle’s knee?”

Dice flushed, confused and scandalized; the (butter)Cup Brothers roared with laughter, and even the old man himself cracked a good-natured, but slightly reproachful smile.

After fuming for a while, King Dice flung a good chunk of dirt into the boy in red; Cuphead, who was rolling on the ground, choked with indignation and responded by throwing a handful of grass into his aggressor. The grass blades whirled in the air, coming to a soft landing; the man jeered. Mugman rushed to the rescue then, and the lumps of soil began flying back and forth between the two sides.

The playful hassle went on for at least half an hour, and ended up in all of the parties covered in dirt, but laughing genially.

The summer was just about to start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [North Hampshire, c.1940s] Children’s games etc.: A chant – Hold a buttercup under the chin and say: ‘Do you like butter?’ if there is a yellow reflection on the skin, it is yes ‘Do you like cheese?’ same again, I think ‘Do you like sitting on housemaid’s knee?’ occasion for much giggling [Orpington, Kent, February 2007]  
> \- from plant-lore.com


	2. Old As New

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Okay when you have the time i have another for spotted kettle: the devil, tea, kiss." @itsbpdprincess

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This turned out a bit... longer and, perhaps, 'hotter', than I anticipated.
> 
> There's nothing really explicit going on, they are cartoons, for christ's sake, but there's definitely... some sexual tension at the end. *smiles awkwardly* I blame Mister_Rat and their Don't Be That Way ficlet: http://archiveofourown.org/works/13418355/chapters/31236339
> 
> You've been warned.

The brothers surrounded King Dice when he returned, late evening, with a middle-sized cardboard box, that he was holding protectively to his side. Cuphead poked at the frayed corners skeptically.

“Where did you get that, the junkyard or something?”

“Where’s your coat, Mr. Dice?” Ah, Mugman; he has always been more observant than his red counterpart; although the other’s assumptions often turned out right due to pure coincidence and, perhaps, luck. Dice just pursed his lips and directed his feet to the kitchen. The boys followed.

They watched as the older man put the box on the high chair and, with gentle carefulness, extracted his belonging. It was an antique kettle, copper dull and somewhat crummy. The assuming boy cocked his brow.

“A kettle? But we already have one.”

“Two,” piped in Mugman. The other boy took a moment to think about it, and then guffawed. “Right!”

Dice didn’t pay heed to their remarks, as he took a rag and began polishing the metallic surface in a detached way. Cuphead, peeved by the lack of attention, squinted at him aggressively.

“No amount of shine is gonna give that piece of scrap metal any sort of... decency! It’s seen its glory days, you crackpot, why don’t you just put it right where it belongs? Wherever you found it...”

The dice man winced at that, noticeably, and turned away. Mugman shushed his enraged brother hastily. “Don’t raise the devil, Cup!” he warned, and Dice flinched hard. The blue-clad boy dragged his brother out of the kitchen then, peeking at the former casino manager guiltily, as the man just stood there, motionless, clutching at the old thing in his hands with desperation.

***

A knock on the door made Elder Kettle glance over the pages, eyes tired and sleepy-sore.

“Come in.”

When his good Dice slipped through the crack, the elderly laid off the book and rubbed at his aching eyes. “Feels like someone poured sand in them,” he muttered, softly, and smiled at his dear. “How late is it?” Dice hesitated.

“A little over midnight.” The man looked ill at ease and overly serious. “I got... something for you.”

The old toon ohed, surprised. The other nodded and disappeared behind the door. A moment later he reappeared, with a metal tray gripped in his hands. Elder Kettle chuckled.

“What’s the occasion, young man? Besides, it’s a bit too late for supper, and not early enough for breakfast...”

Dice just smiled at him, and put the tray on the bedside table. Balanced on it, stood a cup and the dented kettle from before. The man couldn’t do much in the shine department with just a rag, so he resorted to washing the metal pot in and out, several times, until it gleamed in the lamplight warmly. Elder Kettle viewed the new item, curious.

“What a... quaint little thing. Where did you get it, Dice dearest?”

The man in question looked at him askance, albeit intently. “You don’t remember?”

This made the old toon _really look_ at the boiler. And the second he did, he recognized it.

It was the kettle they had when they lived together, for a couple of blissful months, so long ago... It was soon after they had a big argument and Dice slammed the door, never to return, that the copper pot disappeared. Kettle didn’t give it a second thought.

He stared at Dice, astonished. The younger man was gazing to the side; his eyes were as if clouded over.

“I often made tea with it, at first. That is, until I found it on the floor in my pantry, all... crushed. _‘He’_ did it, I’m certain of that, so I had to hide it in the scrap yard. He wouldn’t think to look for it there.” Elder Kettle was listening to him, holding his breath. King Dice shook his head.

“I couldn’t... I kept rehiding it, and finally gave up and entrusted it to Dr. Kahl. He was the closest I had to a friend, and I still could... influence him... with my power.”

Dice lowered himself to the bed. “After... when I tried to take it back... He demanded I get him something, some rare parts for his precious robot, and I did not have a penny to the heart.”

The old toon inhaled sharply. Dice flashed him a crooked grin; yet, it was more apologetic than anything. “There wasn’t much I could do to earn money, so I was... stealing, discreetly, while looking for them. I dropped it at some point though, because I felt...” he fell silent and mouthed, “ _strange..._ ”

Elder Kettle slowly sat forward; his hands were gripping the armrests of the chair he was lounging in earlier, tightly. The former sleazy lackey shifted his gaze to the whitened knuckles. He seemed to falter.

“I... There wasn’t many... people, who would offer me a job. I managed here and there, though. Brought most of it to you, but saved, little by little, and worked harder.” Dice cringed, and scratched the back of his cubical head, as if ashamed of it all. Then finally raised his gaze to the old man, and gave him an awry smile.

“I suppose he took pity on me or something, that madman of a scientist, because he returned it to me already fixed, more or less.” And he gestured to the little kettle as to sum it up.

So it wasn’t actually new... but neither was it particularly old. What an odd, yet... meaningful, item. The Elder looked at it, speechless.

“Care for a cuppa?” He gave the young man a slightly incredulous look.

“I don’t really... isn’t it a bit... bizarre, for a toon like me, to drink tea?” Dice seemed taken aback at that.

“It’s not that weird, you know,” he said, almost defensively. “Besides, the boys drink hot cocoa and occasional milk, and they are technically cups. A cup and a mug,” he corrected himself. Elder Kettle couldn’t help but smile, and Dice took that as consent. As he started to pour hot tea from the small pot, his love tried to suppress laughter.

“That’s not how it’s done, Mr. Dice,” he said, chuckling at the eccentric man, but the latter looked at him with an overconfident smile.

“Ah, shush.” He dismissed the comment, good-naturedly, and brought the ceramic cup up to Elder’s lips. “I raised the herbs myself, gathered, prepared, and composed them, specifically for you,” shot down any further arguments dice man. Elder Kettle wasn’t certain that was entirely true, but didn’t protest.

The taste was... _peculiar_ , but not unpleasant. Dice must’ve sweetened it a tad, as well... perhaps, with honey? How did he manage to get the honey? When he took the smooth brim away from his lips, Elder Kettle was met with a prying, lustrous gaze of the younger man.

“How was it?” He said, in a low tone, and before the other could respond, Dice touched upon his lips with a long, dragging kiss.

After a while, they parted, and the former gambler looked nothing but dazed. With a thumb, he traced his bewildered partner’s lower lip, and bit down on his.

“... _Wonderful_ ,” he breathed, “it compliments you wonderfully, just as I thought.”

It all clicked together, suddenly. Elder Kettle looked at the other man, a hint of ridicule tugging at the corners his lips; and yet his heart was ready to jump out of his chest.

“So you did this all for yourself, didn’t you, Mr. King Dice?” He asked with mischief, but the “gamest man” just hummed, eyes closed, as he brushed his face against the metal spout. The elder shivered.

“I wonder,” the other said, languidly, breath hot on his cheek, “how would... _your_ tea taste like?”

Elder Kettle couldn’t help but flush. “You can’t brew tea in kettles, darling...” he squeaked, weakly, but Dice just pushed into him, hands sliding and curling around his body, and all the old toon could do was breathe, shakily. “Nonsense,” he heard, as if through cotton wool, “I can, and I do. I want to taste you... drink you, full...”

It felt like he was about to boil out, and Elder Kettle didn’t know how the other could handle the heat that was radiating from his body. “Mr. Dice, you indecent man...” he managed to groan out, as the one who started this fire inside of him grinned and delved into another kiss.


End file.
